Buckhannon, W.Va. — As the Colonial Arts Center gets closer to its October grand opening, the final touches are being put in place. This includes permanent seating in both the Main Hall and the Balcony Theatre. While the telescopic seats for the Main Hall are scheduled to arrive in September, the Balcony received its eighty brand new seats in June.

To celebrate, and in order to raise funds for new arts programs and classes in the St. Joseph’s Hospital WVU Medicine Creative Suite, the Colonial would like to give members of the community the opportunity to have their name, or family member or loved one, engraved onto nameplates on the seatbacks.

“When I began working for the City [of Buckhannon] over one year ago, I did not know what to expect as far as a timeline for getting the seats in, but it’s one of the very first things I began looking into when I began my position,” said Anne Wilson, CAC Manager. “I’m ready to have luxurious, comfortable theatre seats that folks will be excited to come and sit in. With all of the rich history surrounding this nearly one-hundred-year-old building, I think it’s only fitting we offer our community the chance to be a permanent part in the new space.”

The CAC Board of Directors voted upon a solid navy-blue color for the upholstery to compliment the rich red wall color in the upstairs space. Telescopic seating will have red upholstery to compliment the deep navy-blue walls on the main floor. (Please see the photo at the top of this story.)

To gear up for grand opening, the Colonial is preparing in many ways. Trial programming has been successful, with just under two thousand folks having stepped through its main doors since July of 2022. BOOOOCKHANNON began in October of 2022 with a month-long calendar of Halloween-themed events. Buckhannon Community Theatre has done three productions since October 2022. WV Dance Company graced the stage in April of 2023, and the Rustic Mechanicals brought their summer comedy in July of 2023. The Stockert Youth and Community Center Camp Buccaneer brought their 2023 Talent Show into the Main Hall with over 50 kids!

If you would like to see the seats in person, tours are provided by Anne by scheduling in advance via email or phone. Patrons can request a nameplate or a private tour for a Balcony Theatre seat by visiting www.colonialartscenter.org at the bottom of the homepage. Requests are also accepted at Buckhannon City Hall during normal business hours, 8:30-4:30 pm, or by calling Anne at 304-472-1651, ext. 1052.